BT can help you offer global Wi-Fi roaming to your customers 

What is global Wi-Fi roaming? 

To check prices, seek reviews or socialise with friends, Wi-Fi is increasingly the means of delivering secure, resilient connectivity to the user.

Global Wi-Fi roaming allows a traveller anywhere to start his or her personal computer, laptop, tablet or smartphone and have it automatically log onto the nearest Wi-Fi network. For it to work, the user needs a roaming agreement with the home network, as for a mobile phone or tablet.

With the growth in Wi-Fi-enabled devices hitting the market, customers demand to be connected wherever and whenever they choose.  And they want access to be easy.

Historically they needed a username and password for Wi-Fi authentication and connection but work is now going on to simplify access via the next generation hotspot.  We believe these hotspots will push the demand for Wi-Fi, including global Wi-Fi roaming, to become an industrial mass-market service.

What are the benefits?

Global Wi-Fi roaming is compelling for the end user and a strong Wi-Fi service that provides a good customer experience is known to reduce customer churn.

For customers it is simple: they want Wi-Fi at an affordable price with no surprises and ease of access to trusted networks, whether on their home network or roaming

Wi-Fi home operators need to make sure that any “visited” (roamed-to network) operator also provides a good user experience and a trusted network

For mobile operators, a well-integrated Wi-Fi service as part of a mobile access package will keep customers on account and encourage them not to buy from others. With more and more mobile handsets having Wi-Fi on board, addition of global Wi-Fi roaming presents a clear opportunity.

What can BT offer other operators?

BT can support other operators by helping them to understand the commercial requirements for roaming and the most appropriate method to connect to our global roaming partners.

BT can also provide real value to others by sharing our Wi-Fi experience, our history, strategy and plans. In concrete terms, BT can offer advice on how to run a Wi-Fi service, including strategy development and best practise, up to full plan, build and operation of a managed service.

BT Telconsult, the telecommunications consultancy arm of BT Global Telecom Markets (GTM), can offer wholesale Wi-Fi to carriers to run services in other countries based on our BT Openzone platform.  We already do this in Europe.

Why BT?

BT has the single biggest Wi-Fi network in the UK with more than 3 million Wi-Fi hotspots.  With a presence in 48 countries, we also enable our customers to access Wi-Fi in around 400,000 hotspots outside the UK.

We deliver Wi-Fi to thousands of site partners across several industries, including hospitality, travel, the retail high street and business.  We safely and securely handled over two billion minutes of customer traffic last year.

As customers lead the way with the technology they bring to bear in their day-to-day lives, BT Openzone is the enabling force behind the Wi-Fi generation in the UK.

As the official telecommunications provider of the 2012 Olympics, BT will showcase its global Wi-Fi roaming, with ease of access and good customer experience for the Olympic community and the general public.

BT is an active member of all the key organisations involved in Wi-Fi, including the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA), Wi-Fi Alliance and the GSM Association. Chris Bruce, CEO of BT Openzone, is chairman of the WBA.  Working alongside him, a number of his senior management team help the WBA to drive forward the wider adoption of global Wi-Fi roaming.

The work of the WBA and the strengths of its members have contributed to the growth of global Wi-Fi roaming. As an industry catalyst, the WBA facilitates access to a quality global Wi-Fi footprint, a huge subscriber base, unique expertise and track record, and award-winning technical enablers.

The WBA also provides opportunities to engage global partners and influence the industry. It supports wireless broadband operators and ecosystem partners who want to enable seamless Wi-Fi experience, deliver global Wi-Fi roaming and integrate Wi-Fi across 3G and WiMAX for the benefit of end-users.

For further information, please contact Steve Dyett of BT Openzone New Business Development (Wholesale & Retail), or me, Peter Challand of BT Telconsult.

In closing, I would like to thank Steve for his support in co-authoring this article.

Peter

Biography

Peter Challand is the lead consultant in the Asia Pacific region for BT Telconsult, the management consultancy arm of BT Global Telecom Markets.

A qualified Project and Programme Professional, he has delivered business transformations, complex programmes and technology initiatives in the telecommunications industry in the UK and internationally.

In his 24 years of experience with BT, Peter has held a wide range of roles that have included customer-facing engineering, product launch, product and service development, in-life product management.  He is one of the leading programme managers for his expertise in design and delivery of wireless networks and operations.

From 2004 to 2009 he led teams in evaluation, design and deployment of end-to-end service and platforms for future wireless broadband opportunities, both internally and externally to BT, including outsourcing initiatives.

He currently leads engagements with telcos across the Asia Pacific region, delivering both consultancy projects and business development opportunities.